Corporate volunteers make a real difference across our shop

Corporate volunteers play an important role in helping us keep our charity shops running. With 27 shops across Leeds and thousands of donated items to sort, prepare and sell, there’s always plenty to do. When local businesses give their time, it helps our retail teams make the most of those donations and raise vital funds for hospice care.

Over 40 colleagues from DWF recently spent a day volunteering across St Gemma’s retail operation, helping our teams sort donations, prepare stock and keep our shops running during a particularly busy time.

The team split across our Retail Hub and shops in the Merrion Centre, Rothwell and Meanwood, getting stuck into a range of jobs and giving our retail colleagues some much-appreciated extra help.

Getting stuck in at our Retail Hub

At our Retail Hub, two groups of 12 colleagues worked through bags of donated items, sorting them for processing before dividing the clothing into winter and summer stock.

Another group sized and tagged the winter clothing ready for delivery to our shops. The team also helped with sizing, pricing and steam-cleaning clothes before they went on display in our Bramley shop, which is located next to the warehouse.

Jason, our Retail Hub Manager, said the DWF team sorted more stock than any previous corporate supporter. That’s a huge amount of donations processed in a single day, helping get more items ready for our customers.

Lending a hand in our shops

Elsewhere, seven DWF colleagues joined Julie at our Rothwell shop, helping her work through her to-do list.

Julie was delighted with their enthusiasm and said:

“Please pass on my thanks. They were such a lovely group of ladies. They were so enthusiastic and absolutely incredible! What a lovely afternoon with lots of tasks crossed off my list.”

Four colleagues also supported our Meanwood shop, while another ten spent the afternoon at our newly opened Merrion Centre store.

The Merrion Centre shop had already been hugely busy during its first few days of opening, so having extra hands to help keep the shelves stocked was particularly welcome. Catherine, from our Corporate Fundraising team, joined the volunteers in the shop and saw just how valuable their help was at such a busy time.

Catherine added: “They were essential to keeping the store stocked in what has been a hugely busy opening few days for us, so it was great to have so much enthusiastic support.”

From processing record amounts of stock at the Hub to helping our shop teams get through their to-do lists, the DWF volunteers achieved a great deal in just one day. Thank you to everyone who took part!

Why corporate volunteers matter

There’s a lot to do behind the scenes to keep our 27 charity shops stocked. Every donation needs to be sorted and prepared, and clothing needs sizing, pricing and steaming before it reaches the shop floor.

Volunteers are a vital part of this process. By helping with the day-to-day jobs that keep our shops running, they give our retail teams more time to focus on customers and making the most of the donations we receive.

Around £1 million of the money raised in our shops each year directly funds patient care and support for people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Leeds (the rest covers the costs associated with running our shops). This care is always provided free of charge, but it is not free to provide.

For businesses, a corporate volunteering day is a chance to get involved in something practical that directly supports our shops and the care St Gemma’s provides. Whether you’re sorting donations at our Retail Hub or helping out in one of our shops, there’s plenty to get involved with.

It’s also a chance to spend time together outside the usual working day, try something different and see first-hand how a local charity operates.

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Could your company volunteer with us?

If your company offers volunteering days, why not spend one with St Gemma’s?

We welcome teams from local businesses who’d like to give their time to support our shops. There’s no need for previous retail experience, and you’ll be helping with jobs that make a genuine difference to our day-to-day operations.

To find out more about corporate volunteering opportunities, contact our Corporate Fundraising team at corporatevolunteering@st-gemma.co.uk.